Dealing with File-Format Hell

Spend Matters would like to welcome back Ryder, our resident tech-ed expert.

We've all received a file in a format we can't open or manipulate properly. It might be the quintessential Mac vs PC problem; sometimes, it's just part of a PDF we need to include in a presentation. When you have file-compatibility and -conversion issues, productivity can go off the cliff Thelma and Louise-style: you spend countless hours emailing back and forth to get the right format, or trying to import or convert. Below are some links to tools that can help you convert files to myriad formats quickly. Most of them are free, but prepare your eyes for enough ads to make Times Square look muted.